Is there a connection between obesity and sleep disorders?
Find your website incredibly valuable and recommend it frequently. Thank you so much. My question: Is there a connection between obesity and sleep/ insomnia?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
There is a clear link between poor sleep habits and obesity. In the last
few years there have been a number of studies that support those who don't
sleep much because they are busy or because they have insomnia are at much
higher risk of becoming overweight and obese. There have been a lot of
studies on those who work at jobs that requires rotating shifts or shifts
where they have to work overnight. Not all of them are conclusive but some
do show an association with working through the night and weight issues.
A recent study reinforced this, however.
The other issue is the association of obesity with sleep apnea. It's clear that those who are obese are at much higher risk of having airflow to the lungs cut off during sleep. This lack of breathing, or apnea, has a detrimental effect on sleep patterns and the quality of sleep. While there's no prospective research looking at this, it does lead one to think that if sleep problems lead to obesity, and obesity leads to sleep apnea and poor quality sleep, that this sets up a cyclic effect of more weight gain.
Thanks very much for your nice words about the Dr. Gourmet web site. Time for a nap now...
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet